Big Tex Burns

At approximately 10:25 CDT Big Tex broke out in smoke around his collar and motorized mouth,then broke out into flames. The only thing remained was his big steel frame and his two arms (still sleeved in material from his shirt). At 13:00 CDT his steel frame was traveling through the streets of Fair Park to an undisclosed location to be inspected by local fire officials.

State Fair Officials have already announced that Big Tex, who began in 1952 in Kern, Texas and was sold to the State Fair Board,  has stood stead over the fair for 60 years  and will be rebuilt. Beginning anew by next years State Fair a new Big Tex will reappear,bigger and better than before.

http://www.featurepics.com/online/Big-Tex-2358092.aspx

In Great Admiration and Respect

Today, in the warmth of a delightful fall afternoon, I started out in search of that one fall splash of color that say, "here, it's not New England but it can be from time to time almost as perfect." Last year, I found it in a patch of woods beneath the dam at White Rock  in the old fish hatchery stands. It was every bit as pretty as I've seen in New England, which is hard to wrap my mind around while remembering that while there are stands of maple trees in Texas, they are many,many miles away from the Dallas area. But every fall, I begin the annual search.

My mother, as a little girl, had grown up with some pretty famous names in baseball coming around. She was nearly 80 before I was able to find out that she had been a Dodgers fan and even rooted for the Yankees a few times. On the other hand, I had grown up on the St. Louis Cardinals and later the Detroit Tigers, but I did know the big names of the day even if they played for the opposing teams. Thinking back now, I had shoe boxes of baseball cards. and mom was hard to beat in answering questions about facts printed on the cards. This really was a side of my mom that I wish that I had understood more then than I do today, but thankful I heard her tell some of the stories when she was growing up.

Yet, when I start out on a shooting trip, the trips are pretty much routed out in a circuit and it follows the events and on-going construction, openings, discoveries of new projects starting or seasonal event. The shoot schedule isn't that large of a schedule but it does have to consider car or train, walks or doctor's appointments , shopping or living in general. The price of gas has cut down on a lot of travel by car and the trains have been a good back-up, but  sometimes, there is that magnetic-like pull that causes you to follow your instincts. Today, although it didn't start out that way, ended up that way and I'm happy that it did.  Mom was a rather self-contained person that would be like an earthquake that she knew or even had a friendship with some people. But, the proof was in the pudding as they say and she usually came out on top in that department. Yet, even today, I pay respect  to the dearly departed  when I can. After paying tribute to one of mom's -never-would-have-guessed friends, I decided that I would go in search of one of my boyhood idols that was in the same cemetery and not very far from where I stood while visiting one of mom's friends.



The plaques on the crypts of Mickey Mantle and his wife.
The two boys are in crypts below their dad.

Note the rows of copper (pennies) stacked up from visitors to the crypt. The two that I found most interesting were the stone and the bent nail. Stones are usually a Jewish tradition left after a visit. The bend nail, I am not sure, but it has it's significances most certainly.

The American Flag stands in the corner of the private crypt area where Mickey is entombed.

It is with much respect and admiration that I post these images in the love for the sport, the players, the institution that baseball is to so many. Mickey, you were my hero in baseball.
 

The Things I Find on the Way To The Doctors.

To make a long story shorter, I had a Doctor's appointment that I had on the brain was 9:20. Turns out that is the appointment in February. The one today was 2:20, not 9:20 so I'm ready a bit early. After checking the e-mail and checking on the web page and the blog, I got my shoot list out to see if there was some place on the list that I could shoot and end up at the Doctor's about the right time. As luck would have it since Mr. Murphy had already dealt me one of his laws ----I headed out.

Dallas has a couple reality TV shows being filmed here. One is the popular A&E," Storage Wars Texas". The other, Discovery Channels, "Fast 'N Loud".The storage war series from a photo shoot point of view is not the storage lockers as much as the places in the Design District where they get their items appraised and in  one case,  Dr, Mo's retail shop. And, of course, as far as Richard and Aaron are more popular it is the garage rather than the auction barns. The luck of the draw today made more sense to head out to the garage of Fast "N Loud, aka Gas Monkey Garage.

As luck would have it again.......today......there was a sign on the door that read, "Closed Set  Do Not Enter." The doors were half down and you could see legs from the knees down. The most interesting was the fact that the traffic was unbelievable. People were everywhere taking pictures. So it really wasn't that bad of a day from capturing a moment in history. There was a sign that I debated whether to shoot in whole or in part but decided to go ahead and shoot the full sign since the address was already published on their website  Gas Monkey Garage. Normally, even in an editorial situation I try to be fair and show respect.

Since the show is a super good show and the Discovery Channel has done such a great job with the season...tune in and check out the show.

Note the sign on the door!

The Swag Van is Stoker

 

A Chilly Fall Afternoon Full of

outdoor events, peaceful moments and  a big broadcast satelite truck hundreds of miles from  its base.

Beautiful Turtle Creek in Uptown Dallas Area just off Cedar Springs Road.



Dallas,Sunday,October 7,2012 (Editorial Use):At the opposite end of Cedar Springs Road on the back side of Love Field  at Bachman Lake ,sits a big broadcast satelite truck for a television station in Tampa-St. Pete area. It's several hundred miles from its base as it sits here.

 

Signs are Everywhere

Fall is in the air. This is only the first week of October and already December temps are in the air. There are other signs as well. While at the lake yesterday, looking across to the other side, the tops of the trees were showing some yellows. On the trail the wild cherry trees were already dropping cherries and the birds were going nuts (so to speak). This first real taste of Great Lakes weather won't last. Already, the weathermen are talking about 80s returning by mid week, but the cat has snuggled down in her comforter a little deeper than most afternoon nights and  the heavy knit sweaters are at arms reach, just being on the safe side.

It is the time of year that I really have come to love more than spring although they both are weighted pretty much the same on my scale of seasons. Spring just happens! Subtleties before it pops out and announces that it has arrived. But, fall--that takes preparation and getting ready for winter. Watching the animals get ready for winter is awesome. Squirrels stashing nuts, birds packing seeds and nuts and berries, migrating birds overhead as they do their annual migration to warmer spots in South America and Central America. Just a walk in the park is never boring.

Plus, I'll let you in on  a little secret. I can't take the heat like I once could so the cooler temps makes being out more enjoyable  overall.

Due to the
LBJ I-635 redo from the High 5 to I-35E (a 11-mile stretch)



 

Wild Cherries

Here are a few images that  need little comment. Enjoy.

Big Tex Hits 60!

Big Tex

A 60-year old man in size 72 boots wearing a 75 gallon hat and standing 52 feet tall with a few more wrinkles and slighly more grey hair, took his place at Fair Park today at the annual ceremony at 11 am when on the Monday before the fair opens, he is hoisted into place and immediately proclaims,"Howdy". Friday,at 10am, the 126th Texas State Fair begins its annual run. I had wanted to be there for todays "howdy"  but had a doctor's appointment at 11.It was a little after 12:30 when I got there. For about two hours, I walked around the lagoon looking at the Chinese Lanterns Display. There is a fence around the entire Lagoon area and the guy putting up the last section of the fence said that there was going to be a $10.00 fee to enter, which is above the regular ticket price.
The display is breath-taking and the Dino's on display look so real. It will be a popular exhibit, I'm sure. The workers were building the main stage in between The African-American Museum and the Music Hall complex. I know, I said last weekend that it was my last trip until after the fair and  here I am back at Fair Park again! Well, it's the bee hive of activity, construction, vendors testing equipment,rides being tested. The smell of taffy in the air! People visiting Fair Park's active museums in the complex. It's just the most festive atmosphere. Kind of like a behind the scene type of atmosphere, but also the get-out-of-the-way atmosphere that goes on as workers lay tiles,build sets and stages with just days before completion. I've missed that hustle-bustle atmosphere. My camera just shoots image after image. I'm not shooting my stock images that sell but I'm having tons of fun! The last two days I've shot more fun images from horse-drawn carriages,antique rail cars moving to a museum to Big Tex's head and hands on a skid waiting to be assembled for this years state fair. I've even managed to have a dish of Rocky Road ice cream a couple of times!

Ladies--you think you have beautiful nails. Check out my nails!!

Beautiful Nails

 

Moving on the Rails (2 of 2)

The third consist arriving at Irving. It passed the Mockingbird yard at approximately 13:45 this afternoon.